Capturing the Devil (Stalking Jack the Ripper, #4)

by Kerri Maniscalco

“Men are keen on blaming women for the rise in sin. It’s been something plaguing humanity since the Bible first accused Eve of tempting Adam. As if he had no mind to taste that forbidden fruit before she offered it to him. Everyone seems to forget God told Adam the fruit was forbidden. He created Eve later.”

The one question no one can answer is always, if Adam had been warned, why didn’t he pass the message along to his wife? Seems he was more to blame than she was. Yet Eve is always the villain, the wicked temptress who cursed us all.”

“I am the man who will love you unto forever.” Before I could collapse from either swooning or chiding him for his flirtation, he quickly added, “I’m also a student of observation. And a brother. The truth, Miss Wadsworth, is I’ve watched my sister navigate the world of men. Doing so with more grace than I ever could, were I in her position. I’ve watched you do the same. Biting your tongue when I’d want nothing more than to bite the offender. I delight in pointing out areas where man has failed, even if it changes only one mind. Or if it changes none. At least I feel as though I’m fighting on the side of women, not against them. Everyone needs to take responsibility for their own failures.”

“I long to live in a world where equal treatment is not something in need of commending.”

“Are you afraid of thunder, Wadsworth?” I gave him my most unpleasant look, not deigning to respond. He already teased me endlessly about clowns and spiders. “I wouldn’t mind holding you under the covers until the storm passes. I would feel quite gentlemanly.”

“You would offer to do that, wouldn’t you?” I said, finally collecting myself. “I’m surprised you didn’t suggest we do so without our clothing. You’re losing your Cresswell touch.”

“You make my dark heart sing, Wadsworth.”

“If the world thinks we’re heading straight to Hell, we might as well enjoy the journey there. I’d rather dance with the devil than sing with angels. Wouldn’t you?”

shoulder. “I’m sure you make Thomas a very happy man. I always imagined his tastes were a bit depraved—what with all those dead bodies.” Thomas plastered on a grin of his own but remained silent. Mephistopheles narrowed his eyes. “Did you two actually fall in love surrounded by corpses?” “Don’t be ridiculous. We—” I shut my mouth. Distilled down to its most basic element, Thomas and I had continued a flirtation in the laboratory. It could be argued we did fall in love while carving the dead. The thought was disturbing. “You’re both twisted and gnarled in ways too gruesome for even my mind.” Mephistopheles grinned as if reading my thoughts. “You truly are perfectly matched.”

“Trust me, I don’t want to be selfless. Not with you. But I’ll always stand aside so you have the space to make your own choices.”

I’d choose Hell each time if it meant experiencing this feeling with him. This euphoria. I refused to think of darkness and evil deeds. Tonight I’d focus on the way our bodies created the closest thing to Heaven I could imagine here on earth. I’d tried doing the correct thing: I’d pushed him away and my heart had torn in two. I was tired of denying what felt right. He and I were two pieces of our own private puzzle—we fit together perfectly. If that made us wicked, wanton things, so be it. I gladly accepted my fate.

“Wadsworth. I have a confession to make. It’s something I ought to have mentioned sooner. I am shamelessly addicted to reading romance novels. I may even shed a tear or two at their conclusion. What can I say? I’m a fool for a happy ending.”

“Wonderful. So the greed of men can condemn innocent women and we all ought to sit quietly and not utter a word.”

“You, my dear, are more capable than any person I’ve ever had either the pleasure—or displeasure in most cases—of meeting.”

“You must be the fiancé,” the young man said, turning up the wattage on his smile. “I was watching over your lady here.” “Yes, well, my lady hardly needs watching.” Thomas didn’t return the man’s smile. “I enjoy obedience in my dogs, not my wife. She’s free to do as she pleases.” I tried not to heave a sigh. I loved that Thomas never shied away from sharing his innermost opinions, but we’d have to work on his delivery a bit more in the future.

“You’re welcome to take a few home, Mr. Cresswell. I’m sure Henry won’t mind.” Thomas lifted his gaze to mine, his expression hopeful. “I’m your fiancée, not your keeper, Cresswell.”

If I lived to be one thousand years old, it would never feel like enough time with him.

“I love you, Audrey Rose. More than all the stars in the universe.”

It all crashed into clarity for me—Thomas would no longer simply slip inside the mind-set of a murderer, should anything happen to me. He’d become one. He would destroy those who hurt me, and he’d feel nothing in the process of his methodical slaughter. I wanted to chide him for that, but knew I’d feel the same way should anyone hurt him. I’d disembowel the world and bathe in its blood if someone murdered him. We were a twisted pair indeed.

Thomas Cresswell couldn’t die. If he did… a darkness so complete as to truly be terrifying welled up inside me. I did not know who I’d become, should I lose him. But Satan would tremble at my approach.

I was both Thomas Cresswell’s weakness and his strength.

“Men are monsters who use fantasy to ease their minds. They find it easy to blame their actions on good and evil. It’s much harder to face the truth—that you enjoy the pain and fear you inflict, for no other purpose than your own wicked pleasure.”

As I eased up the pressure on my dragon’s-head knob, I heard the softest swoosh of a stiletto blade sliding free. My heart stuttered. Thomas. My brilliant, cunning, prepared man.

“A mind is the best weapon.” I smiled with bloodstained teeth. “And Thomas Cresswell wields it well. He made this for me, you know.”

“Let’s see, Wadsworth.” Thomas ticked off points on his fingers. “You’ve carved open dozens of bodies from London to Romania to America, been held at gunpoint beneath a castle once owned by Vlad the Impaler, got stabbed while defeating a deranged carnival, and have just captured the White City Devil. All before turning eighteen. I’m downright woozy with want. I beg you to ravish me now before I lose my mind.”

“I love you, Thomas Cresswell.” I kissed him gently. “With my whole heart.” “Beyond life. Beyond death”—he nuzzled my neck, whispering—“my love for thee is eternal.”

“Audrey Rose Wadsworth, love of my heart and soul, I long to spend forever with you by my side. If you’ll have me. Will you do me the tremendous honor of—” I wrapped my arms around his neck, our lips brushing as I whispered, “Yes. A million times over, Thomas Cresswell. I want to spend forever adventuring with you.”

He and I were two stars in the same constellation, destined to shine brightly together each night of forever.

“You are my heart, my soul, my equal. You see the light in me when I’m lost within darkness. When I’m cold and distant, you’re as warm as autumn sunshine, bathing me in your glow. If I am the night, then you are the stars lighting up my endless dark.” His voice broke, wrenching my heart. “My best friend, the absolute love of my life, now until forevermore, I call you my wife.”

“Beyond life, beyond death,” he whispered, his breath warm against my ear, “my love for thee is eternal, Audrey Rose Cresswell.”

“Do you accept this man as your husband, to have and to hold, until death do you part?” I gazed at Thomas, seeing a range of emotions that were entirely him; mirth, love, adoration, and a wicked gleam that promised a lifetime full of surprises and adventure. I placed the ring on his finger, never taking my attention from his; I didn’t want to miss one second of this moment. His lips quirked crookedly and I knew, without a doubt, that he’d read the same promises in my face. I could not wait to spend forever with my best friend, the dark prince of my heart. “I do.”